On the road again

The other day I had to drive a borrowed ute (ie. a utility truck) to another property down the road, and the dogs came for a drive. Little Pup had been in a ute before, but it was new for Big Pup, and she had trouble. She didn’t understand the concept of the “run-up” and couldn’t jump all the way up onto the back (I had to get a picnic chair for her to use as a step). Then at the end of the drive, instead of waiting for me to untie her lead (which was tied to the back of the cabin) she jumped straight over the side and hung there. She was on the driver’s side, thank God, so I was able to get her down quickly. As far as I can tell she was unhurt (physically, anyway).

By the time we repeated the drive the next day, she was just as skilled as Little Pup. We got to the other property and she waited for me to open the back of the ute and untie the lead. Then, in tidy fashion, she jumped out. I untied Little Pup, and she also jumped out.

But then Big Pup, probably just because she now knew she could, jumped back in. Little Pup, ever eager to join the club (any club) followed her.

“No, dogs!” said I. “Time to get out.”

So they jumped out again. But then Big Pup jumped back in again. Little Pup too.

“No, no!” I said. “Time to get out! Get out!”

But it was too late: I was laughing. Realising they’d developed their very own comedy routinue, they ran with it (so to speak). One dog jumped out, the other jumped back in. Out, in. Out, in. It was like some sort of Magic Pudding. Every time I turned around there was another dog in the ute. I couldn’t stop laughing. And so were they. (If you’ve never seen a dog laugh before, you won’t believe me, but they were.)

I finally had to call a halt to proceedings or we’d still be there. So the little darlings jumped down and offered to sign autographs. No, really. Those dogs are stars, I tell you, stars!